Stake socket



Sept. 17, 1940. w VIGUE STAKE SOCKET Filed Oct. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I 1 v f V l: i v F m WHMAM VIGUE I II l I -8 3nventor I By l 2. I I l E Gttomeg Sept. 17, 1940. w, VIGUE 2,215,060

STAKE SOCKET Filed Oct. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flin w I wmamm vmm l\ I I 33 3nventor Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED ES PATET OFFICE STAKE SOCKET Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,546

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in stake sockets for use on railway logging cars, logging sleighs, motor logging trucks and the like.

It is an object of my invention to simplify and improve the locking means and releasing mechanism of such devices to facilitate the unloading operation.

It is another object of my invention to provide a device which may be simply operated to unload the carrier with a maximum of safety for the operator.

A further object of the device resides in the provision of a simple mechanism for releasing the stake socket when desired from a remote point, in order that the operator can be well out of the sphere of danger.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a truck, showing a pair of the stake sockets in position thereon,

Figure 2 is a rear view of a loaded vehicle,

Figure 3 is an enlarged View showing one of the sockets and one of the flexible clamps and the lower end of a post positioned therein,

Figure 4 is a side view of the device of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a detail view of the latch device of the socket, one of which I provide for each post,

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a similar sectional view taken on line 'i'! of Figure3, and

Figure 8 is a detail view partially in section and partially in elevation of the clamp mechanism for retaining the releasing latch in locked position.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l designates a .truck having the usual longitudinal frame channel irons H and cross bunks l2 disposed at suitable locations thereon. At the ends of each of the cross bunks I provide stake sockets, designated as a whole by the numeral [3, in which are fitted upright stakes |4I4.

a In Figures 1 and 2 a load of logs- I is shown .upon the truck, and the load is securely tied in place across the top by means ofcables l6 and I! attached at their outer ends to the stakes 14,

and the numeral l3 designates a suitable tightening mechanism of the throw lever type commonly used for such purposes. The posts M are seated in openable or hinged sockets secured to the ends of the bunks. An attaching plate It is provided with an openable socket that includes a concave seat 20, rigid with the plate [9 and a hinged clamp strap 2|, pivoted at 22 to a suitably supported hinge pin. The bottom of the socket is partially closed by means of the seat plate 23. 1

The seat 23 and the hinge strap 2| are provided with lips or flanges 24 and 25 respectively, as'may be seen in Figure 7. These locking flanges are secured or clamped together by means of a U-shaped hasp 28 that is hinged or pivoted on the pin 2 Pin 27 is mounted in ears 28 that are in turn secured to the plate l9. The hasp 26 is secured in the closed position by means of thelocking hook 23, which is pivoted at 30 to the seat flange M, and a detent 3| pivoted at 32 serves to retain the latch or hook 29 in its locked position over the hasp 2t, as best illustrated in Figure 5.

Additional securing means, including flexible straps or chains, are provided for bracing the posts and releasably securing them at such time as the load is to be dumped. These flexible straps or clamp braces are shown as short chains 33 hinged or pivoted at 3 to the attaching plate I9 at one side and above the socket formed by the members 20 and 2!. These chains or straps are of sufiicient length to extend around the post above the socket, and at the free end they are provided with a latching member 35 having a hole 33 near the free end thereof.

A U-shaped loop 3! is supported from the plate l9 and has incorporated therewith on its inner face the boss 38. The hole 36 is adapted to fit over the boss 38 and is retained in place by means of the bearing head or bearing block 39 rigid with and mounted on the end of a bolt or shaft 43. The shaft 40 passes through the plate I!) and attaches to the upper end of a pivot lever 4|. A bar 42 for operating the lever 4| is se cured at 63 to the lever and is guided in and retained by U-shaped bearing guides 40. The lever i2 is pivotally connected at 45 to a lever extension 46 having a handle 41 on its outermost end. The bar 46 is guided in a bearing strap 48- and is notched on the under edge thereof to engage the strap 48, and a pivoted detent 49 holds the bar 46 in locked position.

It will be understood that the foregoing description pertains to a unitary socket and operating means therefor, one of which may be provided at the ends of the bunks on one side of the carrying vehicle, or if it is desired, duplicate mechanisms may be provided for the opposite ends of the vehicle, so that unloading may be accomplished on either side.

Method of operation When a truck is equipped with the stake sockets of my invention mounted on the ends of the cross bunks, the operation of loading is a relatively simple matter. The stakes it are seated in the sockets and securely clamped in place. The hinged clamp strap 2! is closed around the lower end of the stake l4, and the lip 26 is engaged by the hasp 26, with the hook latch 29 looked over the hasp and secured in place by means of the detent 3!. The flexible straps or clamp braces 33 are also closed around the lower portion of the stake, and the latching member 35 is inserted into the U-shaped loop 3'5 with the hole 36 engaging the boss 38.

The bar i2 and the extension =36 are pulled outwardly toward the side of the truck, or to the left as in Figure 2, and the bar M5 is locked in the strap (23 and secured against displacement by means of the detent ie. The logs are placed upon the bunks of the truck and between the stakes in any suitable manner, as by instrumentality of a crane or derrick, and when the load has been built up to the height permitted by law or a weight within the limits of the truck the upper cross cables l6 and ii are secured in place and tightened by means of the tightening device 18.

When the load has been transported to the point where the truck is to be dumped, the operator unfastens the hasps 26 on the dumping side and steps around to the opposite side of the truck out of the danger zone, and by releasing the bars it and it in the manner described herein and shoving the bar to the right as in Figure 2, the bearing blocks 39 are relieved of their contact on the latching member 35 and the latching member is disengaged from the boss 3&3. The weight of the load against the stakes causes the chain or strap 33 to swing outward as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6, releasing the load from the lower outside edge. The logs being round, they will readily roll on the truck or may be rolled ofl if they are lodged. It can be seen that the unloading of a truck is a very simple matter and can be accomplished with safety and expediency.

In log haulage from the timber to the mill it has for some time been the practice to use certain chain arrangements, because stakes, which insure greater loading capacity and easier loading, have to be chopped away due to the extreme pressure of the logs upon the stakes at the time of unloading. In my invention, involving release from the safe side of the truck, and by reason of the fact that the stakes are secured together at their upper ends by a suitable cable or chain, the logs are permitted upon release of the pockets to roll under the stake, thus saving the stake for subsequent use. Otherwise, the stake would be lost and could only be replaced at considerable expense.

It is of the utmost importance, in order to provide the required safety to log haulers and to the public using the highways, that some safe -means as indicated above be provided. The various state laws aifecting safety for the operators,

and the highway regulations calling for safety to the public, make necessary not only a substantial locking device in accordance with my invention, but also double safety in the event of failure of one or the other of the devices. Many accidents have occurred in the past to both operators and passing motorists that could have been avoided, and the strict regulations now enforced make an extremely safe device for controlling the logs on the truck in transit a requirement.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A stake socket comprising a mounting plate having a concave seat thereon and a seat plate partially closing the lower portion of the concave seat, a pivoted clamp strap for coaction with the concave seat, flanges on the abutting edges of the concave seat and the clamp strap, a U-shaped pivoted hasp adapted to engage and secure,said flanges in locked position, a locking hook for engagement withthe hasp, a swinging detent engageable with said locking hook to retain said hook in locked position, a flexible hinged clasp adapted to enclose a stake and having a latch member on its free end, a locking loop adapted to receive and be engaged by said latch member, a lock bolt operable in said loop to retain said latch member in locked position, a pivoted lever on the free end of said bolt, a slide lever on the opposite end of said pivoted lever, and means for locking said slide lever in inoperable position.

2. A stake socket comprising a mounting plate having a vertically disposed concave stake seat and a seat plate adjacent the lower end of said seat, a vertically pivoted clamp strap for coaction with the concave seat, flanges on the abutting edges of the concave seat and the clamp strap, a U-shaped pivoted hasp adapted to engage and secure said flanges in locked position, a locking hook for engagement with the hasp, a swinging detent engageable with said locking hook to retain said hook in locked position, a

flexible hinged clasp adapted to enclose a stake position, a pivoted lever on the free end of said bolt, a slide lever on the opposite end of said pivoted lever, and means for locking said slide lever in inoperable position.

3. A stake socket comprising a mounting plate having a concave seat thereon and a seat plate partially closing the lower portion of the concave seat, a pivoted clamp strap for coaction with the concave seat, flanges on the abutting edges of the concave seat and the clamp strap, a U-shaped pivoted hasp adapted to engage and secure said flanges in locked position, a locking hook for engagement with the hasp, a swinging detent engageable with said locking hook to retain said hook in locked position, a flexible hinged clasp adapted to engage and enclose a stake and provided with a latch member on its free end having a socket, a locking loop for the reception of said latch member and having a stud to be engaged in said socket, a lock bolt operable in said loop to retain said latch member in locked position, a pivoted lever on the free end of said bolt, a slide lever on the opposite end of said pivoted lever, and means for locking said slide lever in inoperable position.

4. A stake socket comprising a mounting plate having a concave seat thereon and a seat plate partially closing the lower portion of the concave seat, a pivoted clamp strap for coaction with the concave seat, flanges on the abutting edges of the concave seat and the clamp strap, a U-shaped pivoted hasp adapted to engage and secure said flanges in locked position, a locking hook for engagement with the hasp, a swinging detent engageable with said locking hook to retain said hook in locked position, a flexible hinged clasp adapted to enclose a stake and having a latch member on its free end, a locking loop adapted to receive and be engaged by said latch member, a lock bolt operable in said loop to retain the latch member in locked position and comprising a slidably mounted bolt rod having a bearing block on its head end, a pivoted lever on the rear end of said bolt rod, a slide lever on the opposite end of said pivoted lever, and means for locking said slide lever in inoperable position.

WILLIAM VIGUE. 

